The lengths people go for their favorite sports team are pretty amazing. People will wear cheese-shaped hats, paint their faces and chests, and sit out in all sorts of acclimate weather in order to watch grown men throw a ball. They’re passionate about their team doing well, and seemingly try to will them to victory through their cheering and devotion. The team’s loss is their loss. The team’s victory viewed as their own.
Perhaps even more noteworthy than a fan’s devotion is the lack of of it in other areas of our lives. Jobs, commitments and even relationships are quickly discarded when the cease to deliver what we desire. You don’t see a devoted sports fan calling it quits after a loss, a losing season, or a lifetime of losing. Not only do they remain steadfast, they keep cheering their team on.
Ideally, this same relentless encouragement that is demonstrated in stadiums across America, would be on display most prominently in our marriages. As a wife, I view one of my primary responsibilities as being my husband’s number one fan. I want to be the person that encourages him when everyone else is discouraging, rooting for him as he takes on the world. His losses are my losses; his victories celebrated as my own. This isn’t to say that I don’t give my spouse honest feedback, simply glossing over any issues that might need to be addressed, but it does mean that at the end of the day, he knows I’m cheering him on.
It also means that when I talk about him, I talk about him like a devoted fan raves about their favorite player. I tell of the many ways that he demonstrates his love. I talk about his impressive abilities to connect with people and make strangers feel like they belong. I extol his commitment to our God and the way he leads our family in seeking Him.
Because I’m his number one fan.
And not only is it a joy to cheer for him, it’s a privilege to be on his team.
